Syrian National Reconciliation Committee delegation visits churches in Damascus

A delegation from the Syrian National Reconciliation Committee at the People’s Assembly visited the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese, and the Armenian Orthodox Archdiocese in Damascus to show solidarity with abducted bishops Paul Yazigi and John Ibrahim and with the St. Thecla Convent nuns held hostage by terrorists.
Members of the committee said that the Syrian people’s awareness and solidarity foiled the plot targeting Syria, calling for confronting the extremist Wahabi takfiri mentality.
They said that the abduction of the bishops and the nuns are inhumane acts that are alien to the true spirit of Islam, and that such acts distort the image of Islam and serve foreign agendas.
For his part, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John X Yazigi asserted that tolerance and fraternity will remain strong among Syrians, underlining the importance of dialogue among Syrians.
In turn, Syriac Catholic Metropolitan Gregory Elias Tebbi noted that Syrians have been open to the outside world and accepting of others for thousands of years, and that they continue to live in harmony despite some sides’ attempts to destroy this social fabric.
For his part, Armenian Orthodox Bishop Armash Nalbandian said that preserving Syria’s social diversity is a human, moral and civilized duty, asserting that the current crisis is transient and will not affect Syria’s bright history.
For his part, head of the National Reconciliation Committee Omar Osi said that the terrorists’ abduction of the bishops and nuns and other such crimes will only make Syrians more determined to adhere to unity and confronting the war on their country.
Osi said that all Syrians stand as one in the face of terrorism, and that Syria will remain an oasis of peace, love and fraternity.